Collecting art in India over 100 years, the Bharanys story

Unique art pieces comprising paintings, textiles and sculptures from Kerala, Bengal, Punjab and other parts of the country, some of which are now in major art museums, sourced from the century-old collection of the Bharanys- a father-son duo- has been detailed in a new book.
"A passionate Eye: Textiles, Paintings and Sculptures from the Bharany Collection" edited by Giles Tillotsan with a foreword by Kapila Vatsayan was released here late last evening.
The tome published by Marg chronicles the adventure of art collection of the two generations of Bharanys -- Radha Krishna and his son Chhotelal -- in Amritsar and in Delhi.

"A visual delight and stimulating treat to anyone interested in Indian art, the book aims to be an eye-opener to those intrigued to discover how works of art are brought to light, how great collections are put together," Giles Tillotsan, who has edited the volume said.
The book begins with an essay by art historian and curator Pratapaditya Pal placing the role of the Bharanys in the wider context of collecting.
Chhote Bharany's personal recollections of learning the trade from his father, and his interactions with many leading scholars, experts, famous writers, museum directors and connoisseurs of the 20th century is also included.

Various experts on textiles and other arts - Vijay Sharma, Mallica Kumbera Landrus, Monisha Ahmed, Anjan Chakraverty, Vandana Bhandari and Vibhuti Sachdev - each highlight one aspect of the collections, together covering items from as far afield as Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Bengal, Punjab, Kerala and Rajasthan.

Tillotsan, formerly a Reader in History of Art at SOAS University of London, writes that the business run by Chhote Bharany and his father was the favoured reliable source for many of the scholars and arts administrators who assembled the collections of great museums both in India and abroad.
"...Musuems are born of collections of the fragmentation of whole cultures and therefore their role is the reassembly not as single objects. The challenge of a museum director or curator is how to communicate the wholeness from selected pieces," art historian Kapila Vatsayan said at book launch.

In her foreword Vatsayan says she heard about Chhotelal from collectors and art connoisseurs, such as Stella Kramrisch, Alice Boner, R K Jalan and others.
"My memories go back particularly to the 1960s, when art collectors were offering their objects for acquisition by the National Museum. The greats like Rai Krishnadas, Karl Khandalavala, C Sivaramamurti, Moti Chandra and Grace Morley sat assessing these artefacts at meetings held in Calcutta and Delhi" Vatsayan said.